Commutator having a multiple marking in common with several marking devices



March 23; 195 1 H. L. LESIGNE 2,673,246 COMMUTATOR HAVING A MULTIPLEMARKING IN COMMON WITH SEVERAL MARKING DEVICES Original Filed May 201946 fA/l/i/vrae Patented Mar. 23, 1954 COMMUTATOR HAVING A MULTIPLEMARK- ING IN COMMON WITH SEVERAL MARK- IN G DEVICES Henri Louis Lesigne,Vanves, France, assignor to Compagnie Continuation of May 20, 1946.

Generale France, a corporation of application Serial N o.

This

dElcctricite, Paris,

France application October 17,

1951, Serial No. 251,766

4 Claims. 1

This application is a continuation of my application Serial No. 671,033filed May 20, 1946.

This invention relates to switching devices such as those used forautomatic telephony, the setting of which is eifected by means of acommon marking multiple.

A marking system is known which for controlling the positioning of aselector, uses an isolated source of direct current arranged in eachregister, that is to say, a direct current source having no point incommon with the battery of the automatic switching system, or with theother similar direct current sources arranged in the other registers.The circuit of the isolated source of one of these registers is closedover a marking wire common to several registers and several selectorsand the brush of a selector, whereby a relay of this register, servingto stop this selector, is operated.

In this prior arrangement nevertheless, it is necessary to prevent thattwo marking circuits of two different registers and two differentselectors get connected in series, that is to say, that the selectorcontrolled by a first register should pass over the terminal marked by asecond register, when the selector controlled by this second registerpasses over the terminal marked by the first register. In order toremedy this disadvantage of this prior arrangement, all the selectorscould be made to operate starting from a homing position. This solutionpresents the disadvantage that it occasions a waste of time due to thehoming of the switches after each rotary sweeping operation.

The object of the present invention is a device which prevents wrongconnections, while at the same time not imposing a homing position uponthe selectors, and allowing the simultaneous use of the common markingmultiple by several registers and selectors. This device is essentiallycharacterized by the fact that the two marking circuits of twoselectors, the positioning of which is effected through a common markingmultiple, are each dependent on an individual member which, when theaforementioned stopping relay of a register is operated, becomes activeso as to upset the symmetry of the single circuit which is closed in theevent two different marking circuits should be connected in series asmentioned above.

According to a preferred form of the present invention, the member whichupsets thefsymmetry of the marking circuits of two selectors, is a relaymounted in such way as to vibrate with a certain frequency.

The operation of the device which forms the subject matter of thepresent invention will be early understood by referring to the followingspecification and the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 represents a greatly simplified diagram of the marking circuit ofa selector and the circuit produced by the tangling of the connectionsbetween two selectors; and

Fig. 2 shows in greater detail a diagram of one normal marking circuitwithout the entanglement just mentioned and the device to which theinvention relates.

Fig. 3 shows the application of the device shown in Fig. 2 to theentangled circuit shown in Fig. l.

With reference to Fig. 1, A represents a first register controlling afirst selector SI, of which the brush CSI hunts for the terminal bibdesignated in the register A by the position of the marking switch D;likewise 13 represents another register which controls another selectorS2, the brush of which CS2 hunts for the terminal 1:22.

In each of the units A or B, U represents an isolated source of directcurrent.

The circuit of the blocking relay I in A is normally closed when CSlpasses over (:15 through:

The positive pole of U, relay l, brush of marking switch D, a terminalof this switch, marking wire 5, terminal M5, the brush CSI, relaycontact 2| and the negative pole in U.

Likewise the marking circuit in B is normally closed, when CS2 passesover the terminal 1922. It may happen, however, that the brush CSI in SIpasses over the terminal hi2 (which is connected to the terminal 1222through marking wire 2) at the same time as the brush CS2 passes overthe terminal Z225 connected to the terminal bii. The following circuitis then closed:

The positive pole of U in register A, relay I, marking switch D, markingwire 5, terminal b25, brush CS2, then in register B relay contact 2|,the negative pole of U, the positive pole, relay I, marking switch D,marking wire 2, terminal bl 2, brush CSI, then again in register A, 2!and the negative pole of U.

The two sources U are thus put in series, while the circuit comprisesfurthermore the two stopping relays I which are energized, which causesthe stoppage of the two selectors SI and S2. No current passes throughthe two relays 3; the difference of potential at their terminals iszero, because on one hand both relays I are identical and therefore havethe same resistance and on the other hand the voltages of both sources Uare equal.

The device to which this present invention refers makes it possible tointroduce a dissymmetry which causes the operation of one of the relays3 which is devised so as to operate the starting of the selectorcontrolled by the register of which the relay 3, which has operated, isa part.

This dissymmetry is' obtained by providing, in each register, avibrating relay 2 which, when vibrating, periodically inserts aresistance RI into the above traced circuit which comprises the twosources U.

Although both relays 2 are adjusted in a similar manner, they will neveroperate absolutely identically. At a certain moment, the relay 2 of A,for instance, becomes energized, when the relay 2 of B is at rest. Thepotential difference of the terminals of the relay 3 of the markingdevice A is then no longer zero and said relay becomes energized. v

The relay 3 ofv the marking device B cannot become energized, because itis in series with a rectifier X, the passage direction of which isopposed to the difference of potential so produced.

As explained below with respect to Fig. 2, the operation of the relay 3of A causes SI to resume its rotation and the two marking relays I torelease, so that the two selectors SI and S2 continue their hunting.

In Fig. 2, the selector SI is shown connected to the register through alink circuit finder, two brushes of which Cw and Rw are represented.

The relay 2 is actuated through front contact I2 and vibrates on itsback contact 22, thus periodically inserting resistance RI owing to itscontact 2|.

The relay 3 can have a second (lower) winding which prepares for itsoperation, which is thus made more rapid. r

Relay I controls the stoppage of selector SI through its contact II. v

If the marking circuit is the normal one, illustrated by Fig. 2, bothextremities of the winding of relay 3 are at the minus potential of theU battery and relay 3 does not operate.

If, however, the above traced wrong circuit illustrated by Fig. l isclosed, relay 3 operates, as explained above.

The operation of relay 3 results in the closing of its contact 32 andtherefore in the actuation of selector SI. On the other hand it causesthe opening of contact 3 I the opening of the marking circuit, whichpasses through thiscontact, and the release of relay 1 through whichpasses this circuit. The opening of contact I2 of relay I opens thecircuit of the lower winding of relay 3.

It is of course possible, without departing from the scope of thepresent invention, to replace the vibrating relay 2 by any other deviceentering into action when the stoppingrelays I operate and causing adissymmetry of the marking circuits of the two selectors.

I claim:

1. In an automatic switching system: two registers each of whichcomprises a self-contained battery, a marking switch having a row ofterminals and a wiper lying over one terminal of said row, a first relayand a connection between one terminal of said battery and the wiper ofsaid marking switch through the winding of said first relay; twoselectors each of which has a driving electro-magnet capable of beinginserted in an actuating circuit and a wiper capable of hunting over arOW of terminals; means for connecting the wiper of any one of said twoS9180". tors with the other terminal of the battery of any one of saidtwo registers and for simultaneously connecting the winding of theelectromagnet of the same selector with a back contact of said firstrelay of the'same register; a connection between each terminal of themarking switch of each of said registers and one terminal of each ofsaid selectors respectively; in each register a connection, comprisingthe winding of a second relay and a rectifier, between said wiper ofsaid marking switch and the wiper of said selector connected to saidregister, means for modifying the resistance of a portion of the circuitpassing over the two terminals of the selfcontained battery of saidregister after said circuit has beenclosed and means for closing theactuating circuit of the electromagnet of said selector connected tosaidregister when current is passing through the winding of said secondrelay.

2. An automatic switching system according to claim 1, in which saidmeans for modifying said resistance comprise, a third relay, means forenergizing said third relay when said first mentioned circuit is closedand means responsive to the flow of current through said second relay.

3. Anautomatic switching system according to claim 2, in which thewinding of said third relay is connected to said means for energizingsaid third relay through'a back contact of said third relay.

4. An automatic switching system according to claim 1, in which saidsecond relay has a contact arranged in said first mentioned circuitpassing over the two terminals of the self-contained battery of saidregister for opening said circuit when said second relay is energized.

HENRI LOUIS LESIGNE.

No references cited.

